NY Times Crossword Answers May 20, 2025 | Expert Breakdown & Tips

NY Times Crossword Complete Solution: May 20, 2025

Published on Tuesday, May 20, 2025 • Updated daily

Our expert breakdown helps you solve the May 20 NYT crossword while expanding your vocabulary. Learn answer strategies and discover word connections.

Across Clues and Answers (35)

Clue #1: 1. Bit or byte

4-letter answer Answer: UNIT

Word Help: Synonyms: building_block, whole, social_unit

Clue #2: 5. Laundry collectors

4-letter answer Answer: BINS

Word Help: Synonyms: BIN, binful, ABA_transit_number

Clue #3: 9. Good thing to bring to a competition

5-letter answer Answer: AGAME

Clue #4: 14. Comedian Trevor with the memoir "Born a Crime"

4-letter answer Answer: NOAH

Word Help: Synonyms: Noah

Clue #5: 15. Give off

4-letter answer Answer: EMIT

Word Help: Synonyms: give_out, utter, pass_off
Antonyms: absorb

Clue #6: 16. Ring-tailed primate

5-letter answer Answer: LEMUR

Word Help: Synonyms: lemur

Clue #7: 17. Consistent with party policy

9-letter answer Answer: ONMESSAGE

Clue #8: 19. Court colleague of Kagan and Kavanaugh

5-letter answer Answer: ALITO

Clue #9: 20. "Eye on the ball," "Get under it!," "I got it!," etc.

12-letter answer Answer: CATCHPHRASES

Word Help: Synonyms: catch_phrase, catchphrase

Clue #10: 22. Like some ground balls

6-letter answer Answer: ONEHOP

Clue #11: 25. CPR pro

3-letter answer Answer: EMT

Clue #12: 26. Queen of Olympus

4-letter answer Answer: HERA

Word Help: Synonyms: Here, Hera

Clue #13: 27. Pet rescue grp.

5-letter answer Answer: ASPCA

Clue #14: 31. Minnesota congresswoman Ilhan

4-letter answer Answer: OMAR

Clue #15: 35. Mink, ferret, stoat, etc.

11-letter answer Answer: WEASELWORDS

Clue #16: 38. Indiana or Independence, in D.C.

3-letter answer Answer: AVE

Clue #17: 39. Detroit dud of the 1950s

5-letter answer Answer: EDSEL

Clue #18: 40. Wall St. debut

3-letter answer Answer: IPO

Word Help: Synonyms: initial_public_offering, initial_offering, IPO

Clue #19: 41. "You're just too complimentary!"

5-letter answer Answer: AWGEE

Clue #20: 43. 4G ___ (letters on a cellphone screen)

3-letter answer Answer: LTE

Clue #21: 44. "Ta-da," "All done," "There you have it," etc.

11-letter answer Answer: FINISHLINES

Clue #22: 47. Poet Byron, for one

4-letter answer Answer: LORD

Word Help: Synonyms: lord, Creator, Divine
Antonyms: noblewoman, Lady

Clue #23: 49. Like pound cake

5-letter answer Answer: DENSE

Word Help: Synonyms: slow, dim, dense

Clue #24: 50. Bird whose name sounds like a hip-hop dance move

4-letter answer Answer: NENE

Clue #25: 51. Employ

3-letter answer Answer: USE

Word Help: Synonyms: enjoyment, purpose, expend

Clue #26: 53. Crafters' knives

6-letter answer Answer: XACTOS

Clue #27: 55. Yield, Stop, Dead End, etc.

12-letter answer Answer: SIGNLANGUAGE

Clue #28: 61. Tennis champ Naomi

5-letter answer Answer: OSAKA

Word Help: Synonyms: Osaka

Clue #29: 62. Freighter

9-letter answer Answer: CARGOSHIP

Clue #30: 66. On the up and up

5-letter answer Answer: LEGIT

Clue #31: 67. Too

4-letter answer Answer: ALSO

Word Help: Synonyms: besides, as_well, likewise

Clue #32: 68. Vibe

4-letter answer Answer: AURA

Word Help: Synonyms: aureole, air, aura

Clue #33: 69. College V.I.P.s

5-letter answer Answer: DEANS

Word Help: Synonyms: dean, doyen, James_Byron_Dean

Clue #34: 70. Cryptanalyst Turing

4-letter answer Answer: ALAN

Clue #35: 71. What spring may bring

4-letter answer Answer: THAW

Word Help: Synonyms: thaw, melting, unthaw

Across Clues and Answers (35)

Clue #1: 1. Card game shout

3-letter answer Answer: UNO

Clue #2: 2. Oui's opposite

3-letter answer Answer: NON

Word Help: Synonyms: not, non

Clue #3: 3. Response to "Who's going?"

3-letter answer Answer: IAM

Clue #4: 4. Action film climax one might "cut to," in a saying

8-letter answer Answer: THECHASE

Clue #5: 5. Closest confidant

7-letter answer Answer: BESTPAL

Clue #6: 6. Apple all-in-one

4-letter answer Answer: IMAC

Clue #7: 7. Walt Whitman's "As the Time Draws ___"

4-letter answer Answer: NIGH

Word Help: Synonyms: most, well-nigh, near
Antonyms: far

Clue #8: 8. Call repeated in an aerobics class

4-letter answer Answer: STEP

Word Help: Synonyms: stair, stone's_throw, dance_step

Clue #9: 9. Wake-up call

5-letter answer Answer: ALARM

Word Help: Synonyms: alarum, warning_device, alert

Clue #10: 10. Dessert served with the query "Cono o coppetta?" in Italy

6-letter answer Answer: GELATO

Clue #11: 11. Somme friends

4-letter answer Answer: AMIS

Clue #12: 12. Silence on Zoom

4-letter answer Answer: MUTE

Word Help: Synonyms: silent, tone_down, damp

Clue #13: 13. Cherubic Greek god

4-letter answer Answer: EROS

Word Help: Synonyms: Eros, physical_attraction, concupiscence

Clue #14: 18. ___ Paulo, Brazil

3-letter answer Answer: SAO

Clue #15: 21. Circle at the top of a stick figure

4-letter answer Answer: HEAD

Word Help: Synonyms: headspring, caput, chief
Antonyms: foot, tail

Clue #16: 22. "Such is life!"

6-letter answer Answer: OHWELL

Clue #17: 23. Must

6-letter answer Answer: NEEDTO

Clue #18: 24. Chalk accompanier

6-letter answer Answer: ERASER

Word Help: Synonyms: eraser

Clue #19: 28. Consumers of hogwash

5-letter answer Answer: SWINE

Word Help: Synonyms: swine

Clue #20: 29. Stop by

5-letter answer Answer: POPIN

Clue #21: 30. Hybridize

5-letter answer Answer: CROSS

Word Help: Synonyms: grumpy, Cross, get_across
Antonyms: uncross

Clue #22: 32. Souvenir for a refrigerator

6-letter answer Answer: MAGNET

Word Help: Synonyms: attracter, attractor, magnet

Clue #23: 33. Moisturizer brand

6-letter answer Answer: AVEENO

Clue #24: 34. ___ Pieces

6-letter answer Answer: REESES

Clue #25: 36. Fey figure of folklore

3-letter answer Answer: ELF

Word Help: Synonyms: imp, ELF, gremlin

Clue #26: 37. Khan who founded Khan Academy

3-letter answer Answer: SAL

Clue #27: 42. Flinches in response to

8-letter answer Answer: WINCESAT

Clue #28: 45. Brainstorm

4-letter answer Answer: IDEA

Word Help: Synonyms: theme, thought, approximation

Clue #29: 46. Utah, geometrically speaking

7-letter answer Answer: HEXAGON

Word Help: Synonyms: hexagon

Clue #30: 48. What "America runs on," in a franchise slogan

6-letter answer Answer: DUNKIN

Clue #31: 52. Bed supports

5-letter answer Answer: SLATS

Word Help: Synonyms: spline, slat

Clue #32: 54. "Give it ___"

3-letter answer Answer: AGO

Word Help: Synonyms: agone, ago

Clue #33: 55. Auctioned off, e.g.

4-letter answer Answer: SOLD

Word Help: Synonyms: sell, betray, trade
Antonyms: buy, unsold

Clue #34: 56. "Oh, OK"

4-letter answer Answer: ISEE

Clue #35: 57. Crazy (about)

4-letter answer Answer: GAGA

Word Help: Synonyms: gaga, dotty, wild

Clue #36: 58. March Madness org.

4-letter answer Answer: NCAA

Clue #37: 59. Chutzpah

4-letter answer Answer: GALL

Word Help: Synonyms: impudence, resentment, cheekiness

Clue #38: 60. ___ Major

4-letter answer Answer: URSA

Clue #39: 63. "What'd you say?"

3-letter answer Answer: HUH

Clue #40: 64. Public radio host Glass

3-letter answer Answer: IRA

Word Help: Synonyms: ire, IRA, Provisional_IRA

Clue #41: 65. Where to find a kitten's "toe beans"

3-letter answer Answer: PAW

Word Help: Synonyms: mitt, hand, paw

Expert Solving Strategies

• Look for fill-in-the-blank clues first (they're often easiest)
• Watch for question marks indicating wordplay
• Check vowel patterns in partially solved words

Related Search Terms

NYT Crossword Help, Daily Puzzle Solutions, Crossword Answer Finder, May Crossword Answers

NY Times Crossword Answers May 01, 2025 | Expert Breakdown & Tips

NY Times Crossword Complete Solution: May 01, 2025

Published on Thursday, May 01, 2025 • Updated daily

Our expert breakdown helps you solve the May 01 NYT crossword while expanding your vocabulary. Learn answer strategies and discover word connections.

NY Times Crossword Answers May 01, 2025

Across Clues and Answers (37)

Clue #1: 1. Schoolroom that serves as a studio

6-letter answer Answer: ARTLAB

Clue #2: 7. Original airer of "Doctor Who"

3-letter answer Answer: BBC

Clue #3: 10. Covenant

4-letter answer Answer: PACT

Word Help: Synonyms: pact, treaty, accord

Clue #4: 14. Give a lashing

6-letter answer Answer: BERATE

Word Help: Synonyms: call_on_the_carpet, call_down, lecture

Clue #5: 15. Whom Will Smith played in a 2001 sports biopic

3-letter answer Answer: ALI

Word Help: Synonyms: Cassius_Clay, Ali, Cassius_Marcellus_Clay

Clue #6: 16. Son of Zeus and Hera

4-letter answer Answer: ARES

Word Help: Synonyms: ar, Ares, are

Clue #7: 17. Sweetener in some diet sodas

6-letter answer Answer: STEVIA

Word Help: Synonyms: stevia

Clue #8: 18. *Cat breed named after an Indonesian island from which it didn't originate

8-letter answer Answer: BALINESE

Word Help: Synonyms: Balinese

Clue #9: 20. Places to carry out some takeout orders, for short?

3-letter answer Answer: ORS

Word Help: Synonyms: Oregon, operating_theater, surgery

Clue #10: 21. Light unit

5-letter answer Answer: LUMEN

Word Help: Synonyms: lm, lumen

Clue #11: 23. "Not in the ___!"

5-letter answer Answer: LEAST

Word Help: Synonyms: to_the_lowest_degree, least
Antonyms: most

Clue #12: 24. *It's "read" as a stern warning

7-letter answer Answer: RIOTACT

Clue #13: 26. *Relative of a snowboard

7-letter answer Answer: MONOSKI

Clue #14: 28. ___ Men (group that won a Grammy Award in 2001 for Best Dance Recording)

4-letter answer Answer: BAHA

Clue #15: 29. Old tone

5-letter answer Answer: SEPIA

Word Help: Synonyms: genus_Sepia, Sepia, sepia

Clue #16: 31. Is for the people?

3-letter answer Answer: ARE

Word Help: Synonyms: exist, follow, embody
Antonyms: differ

Clue #17: 32. Daffy Duck speaking feature

4-letter answer Answer: LISP

Word Help: Synonyms: LISP, lisp, list-processing_language

Clue #18: 34. "I wanna!"

5-letter answer Answer: LEMME

Clue #19: 37. Brings up a prior topic … or a hint to making sense of the answers to this puzzle's starred clues

11-letter answer Answer: CIRCLESBACK

Clue #20: 41. Country that was home to the Ebla library, thought to be the world's first (2500 B.C.)

5-letter answer Answer: SYRIA

Word Help: Synonyms: Syrian_Arab_Republic, Syria

Clue #21: 42. Sheet music symbol

4-letter answer Answer: CLEF

Word Help: Synonyms: clef

Clue #22: 44. Past-tense verb that's potentially confusing (but grammatically correct!) when written twice in a row

3-letter answer Answer: HAD

Word Help: Synonyms: make, birth, own
Antonyms: refuse, lack

Clue #23: 47. ___ salt (form of magnesium sulfate)

5-letter answer Answer: EPSOM

Clue #24: 50. Lead-in to -nautics

4-letter answer Answer: AERO

Clue #25: 52. *Carve out, in a way

7-letter answer Answer: ENGRAVE

Word Help: Synonyms: etch, inscribe, engrave

Clue #26: 55. *Comedy club fare

7-letter answer Answer: STANDUP

Clue #27: 57. Columbus's birthplace

5-letter answer Answer: GENOA

Word Help: Synonyms: Genova, Genoa

Clue #28: 58. "___ My Heart in San Francisco"

5-letter answer Answer: ILEFT

Clue #29: 60. Video game character speaking a gibberish language

3-letter answer Answer: SIM

Clue #30: 61. *Villain's expression

8-letter answer Answer: EVILGRIN

Clue #31: 63. Like does

6-letter answer Answer: FEMALE

Word Help: Synonyms: female_person, distaff, female
Antonyms: androgynous, male

Clue #32: 65. ___ Mendoza, former first lady of Puerto Rico

4-letter answer Answer: INES

Clue #33: 66. Onetime C.I.A. foe

3-letter answer Answer: KGB

Word Help: Synonyms: KGB, Committee_for_State_Security, Soviet_KGB

Clue #34: 67. Like government secrets, occasionally

6-letter answer Answer: LEAKED

Word Help: Synonyms: leak, leak_out

Clue #35: 68. Title friend of Marlin in an animated film

4-letter answer Answer: DORY

Word Help: Synonyms: dinghy, dory, jack_salmon

Clue #36: 69. Times Square ball drop setting, in brief

3-letter answer Answer: EST

Word Help: Synonyms: Eastern_Time, EST, Eastern_Standard_Time

Clue #37: 70. Revered sorts

6-letter answer Answer: ELDERS

Word Help: Synonyms: elder, elderberry_bush, senior

Across Clues and Answers (37)

Clue #1: 1. Soak up

6-letter answer Answer: ABSORB

Word Help: Synonyms: suck_up, engage, take_up
Antonyms: emit

Clue #2: 2. Outcome of a hung jury

7-letter answer Answer: RETRIAL

Word Help: Synonyms: retrial

Clue #3: 3. "How stylish!"

8-letter answer Answer: TRESCHIC

Clue #4: 4. W.C.

3-letter answer Answer: LAV

Word Help: Synonyms: lavatory, toilet, john

Clue #5: 5. Not quite straight up

5-letter answer Answer: ATILT

Word Help: Synonyms: atilt, leaning, tilted

Clue #6: 6. Gorgeous ones, informally

6-letter answer Answer: BEAUTS

Word Help: Synonyms: beauty, beaut

Clue #7: 7. Film based on the 1983 children's novel "The Sheep-Pig"

4-letter answer Answer: BABE

Word Help: Synonyms: infant, sister, babe

Clue #8: 8. Some comforters for toddlers

8-letter answer Answer: BLANKIES

Clue #9: 9. Modern prefix with normativity

3-letter answer Answer: CIS

Word Help: Synonyms: curie, Commonwealth_of_Independent_States, CIS

Clue #10: 10. Dairy-less diet

5-letter answer Answer: PALEO

Clue #11: 11. Singer Grande

6-letter answer Answer: ARIANA

Word Help: Synonyms: Ariana

Clue #12: 12. Turn into stars, say?

6-letter answer Answer: CENSOR

Word Help: Synonyms: censor, ban

Clue #13: 13. Tswana for "fly"

6-letter answer Answer: TSETSE

Word Help: Synonyms: tzetze_fly, tsetse, tsetse_fly

Clue #14: 19. West ___ (furniture retailer)

3-letter answer Answer: ELM

Word Help: Synonyms: elm_tree, elm, elmwood

Clue #15: 22. Trailblazing astronaut Jemison

3-letter answer Answer: MAE

Clue #16: 25. Refuge from the heat

5-letter answer Answer: OASIS

Word Help: Synonyms: haven, oasis

Clue #17: 27. It's one foot long

4-letter answer Answer: IAMB

Word Help: Synonyms: iamb, iambus

Clue #18: 30. Calls for sympathy

5-letter answer Answer: PLEAS

Word Help: Synonyms: plea, supplication

Clue #19: 33. Snoop

3-letter answer Answer: PRY

Word Help: Synonyms: prize, lever, crowbar

Clue #20: 35. Big thing in fast food?

3-letter answer Answer: MAC

Word Help: Synonyms: mac, mackintosh, mack

Clue #21: 36. Splendor

5-letter answer Answer: ECLAT

Word Help: Synonyms: acclaim, acclamation, plaudit

Clue #22: 38. Language that gave us "Saskatchewan"

4-letter answer Answer: CREE

Word Help: Synonyms: Cree

Clue #23: 39. Piercings that might be felt while kissing

8-letter answer Answer: LIPRINGS

Clue #24: 40. Memento

8-letter answer Answer: KEEPSAKE

Word Help: Synonyms: keepsake, souvenir, token

Clue #25: 43. More delicate and weak

7-letter answer Answer: FRAILER

Word Help: Synonyms: delicate, fallible, weak
Antonyms: robust

Clue #26: 44. Who says "You're a wizard, Harry"

6-letter answer Answer: HAGRID

Clue #27: 45. Skin-care brand

6-letter answer Answer: AVEENO

Clue #28: 46. City that lends its name to a style of omelet

6-letter answer Answer: DENVER

Word Help: Synonyms: capital_of_Colorado, Denver, Mile-High_City

Clue #29: 48. Uplifting work

3-letter answer Answer: ODE

Word Help: Synonyms: ode

Clue #30: 49. Quiet

6-letter answer Answer: MUFFLE

Word Help: Synonyms: dampen, repress, tone_down

Clue #31: 51. Popping pills, say

6-letter answer Answer: ONMEDS

Clue #32: 53. Racket-raising

5-letter answer Answer: NOISY

Word Help: Synonyms: noisy
Antonyms: quiet

Clue #33: 54. ___ pal

3-letter answer Answer: GAL

Word Help: Synonyms: gal, gallon

Clue #34: 56. Source of Andrew Carnegie's wealth

5-letter answer Answer: STEEL

Word Help: Synonyms: blade, steel, sword

Clue #35: 59. Community associated with Out magazine

4-letter answer Answer: LGBT

Clue #36: 62. President posthumously inducted in the World Golf Hall of Fame, informally

3-letter answer Answer: IKE

Word Help: Synonyms: Dwight_D._Eisenhower, Dwight_Eisenhower, President_Eisenhower

Clue #37: 64. Crackpot

3-letter answer Answer: MAD

Word Help: Synonyms: brainsick, crazy, delirious

Expert Solving Strategies

• Look for fill-in-the-blank clues first (they're often easiest)
• Watch for question marks indicating wordplay
• Check vowel patterns in partially solved words

Related Search Terms

NYT Crossword Help, Daily Puzzle Solutions, Crossword Answer Finder, May Crossword Answers